Good Girl

"After living in the dark for so long, a glimpse of the light can make you giddy. Strange thoughts come into your head and you better think'em. Has a special fate been calling you and you not listening? Is there a secret message right in front of you and you're not reading it? Is this your last, best chance? Are you gonna take it? Or are you going to the grave with unlived lives in your veins?"

"I am fertile; I could repopulate the whole planet"

Cliamtes - Turkish

If you have seen Three Monkeys, then you know his style, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's. Climates too is a similar treatment, you can feel Nuri. His innate style of working is evident throughout the movie. The stillness and the time he gives to each shot, gets you right into the plot. Not an easy film, it may grow on you, it may not, it would not matter, it may matter, although the subject and treatment would linger, and may be an appreciation for the works of Nuri.

Crossing the Bridge

Faith Akin, German bass guitarist, sound of Istanbul, various bands,people talk, artists talk, go around, see what goes around...

Down By Law

I was contemplating on 'Down By Law' for a long time, but some title or the other always took precedence. Finally I decided, it was 'Down By Law' this time. I was familiar with some works of Jim before, and had seen Coffee and Cigarette and Broken Flowers. I felt Lost in Translation and Broken Flowers had a lot in common, may be I am just making it up, I don’t’ now, but I definitely feel so…
Tom Waits was just definition cool, in spite of the wretched condition, the locale, the state of affairs, the people around him, the clothes, he oozed attitude. The way he spoke like a DJ, oh man that was a class act. Nicoletta was so sensual even when she was talking rubbish…Well then Jim leaves no room for speculation, he has a style of his own.

The Householder (Gharbar)

Leela Naidu - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leela_Naidu
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Prawer_Jhabvala
James Ivory – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ivory_(director)
Ismail Merchant - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismail_Merchant

It’s a well known fact that Satyajit Ray lend his help in filming this movie. His indelible mark and style is written all over the movie. When I saw ‘The Householder’ there were few things I wanted to immediately lay my hands – one who was Leela Naidu and and second who influenced whom : ‘Merchant Ivory’ or ‘Satyajit Ray’. Well, now when I come to think of it was quite foolish a thought, and I could have guessed it myself.

Though I believe the Apur Sansar has influences from the neorealist film ‘The Bicycle Thief’. Cinema is an extension of the times and spaces and the influences are palpable.

There is not much you can review ‘The Householder’, you have to watch it to experience the magic.

Three Monkeys

Director- Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Cast - Yavuz Bingol, Hatice Aslan, Ahmet Rifat Sungar, Ercan Kesal, Cafer Kose and Gurkan Aydin
Awarded – Best Director at Cannes
Nominated - Palme d'Or award

Justifies the title, one of the few Turkish Films I have seen, intense plot, with a knack for detail and subtlety. Characters are quite immersed in themselves, and not much of dialogue to move the plot, which progresses at a natural pace. Will add ‘Climates’ to the queue.

Nuri Bilge Ceylan has brought Turkish film-making a whole new face and the much needed international attention. Beautful country, beautiful people seen through his lens.